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Light-induced amphiphilic surfaces

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Abstract

The ability to control the surface wettability of solid substrates is important in many situations. Here we report the photogeneration of a highly amphiphilic (both hydrophilic and oleophilic) titanium dioxide surface. The unique character of this surface is ascribed to the microstructured composition of hydrophilic and oleophilic phases, produced by ultraviolet irradiation. The result is a TiO2-coated glass which is antifogging and self-cleaning.

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Figure 1: a, A hydrophobic surface before ultraviolet irradiation.
Figure 2: FFM images of a rutile TiO2(110) single crystal surface.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113, Tokyo, Japan

    Rong Wang, Kazuhito Hashimoto & Akira Fujishima

  2. Research and Development Centre, TOTO Ltd, 2-8-1, Honson Chigasaki-shi, 253, Kanagawa, Japan

    Makota Chikuni, Eiichi Kojima, Atsushi Kitamura, Mitsuhide Shimohigoshi & Toshiya Watanabe

Authors
  1. Rong Wang
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  2. Kazuhito Hashimoto
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  3. Akira Fujishima
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  4. Makota Chikuni
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  5. Eiichi Kojima
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  6. Atsushi Kitamura
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  7. Mitsuhide Shimohigoshi
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  8. Toshiya Watanabe
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Wang, R., Hashimoto, K., Fujishima, A. et al. Light-induced amphiphilic surfaces. Nature 388, 431–432 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/41233

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